PIPING SUPPORTING

THERMAL EXPANSION

C.Massif
PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION

CONTENTS

 1. FOREWORD
 2. L-SHAPED ARMS
 3. GUIDED L-SHAPED ARMS
 4. DETERMINATION OF EXPANSION LOOP ARMS
 5. DETERMINATION OF ARMS FOR BRANCH CONNECTIONS
ON HEADERS.
 6. FORCE ON GUIDE
 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION

1 - FOREWORD
 The purpose of this document is to indicate an approach to be adopted to define arm
length sufficient to take up the movements due to piping temperature.
 This enables to obtain acceptable stress on anchors or guides.
 If visual study is not sufficient to be sure that the line will be flexible enough, the
designer shall apply formulas set out below for each routing case.
 Limits of utilization of simplified methods
 Graphs and simplified formulas may be used for elevation change, such as an
elevation change between piping banks of 1 m to 2 m in a pipe rack.
 They should not be used (except for preliminary sizing at design stage) or they
should be used with reservation (with confirmation by a programme such as Caesar)
in the following typical cases:
 All connections on nozzles or on rotary machinery.
 Diameters higher than 24".
 Carbon steel or stainless steel lines with a temperature > 300 °C.
 Piping classes > 300 #.
 Fitting with a radius of 5 D or mitre-type.
 Jacketed lines.
 Non-steel piping (PVC, HDPE, GRE, copper, cupronickel alloy, etc. ).
 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION

2 – L-SHAPED ARMS
 Piping length necessary to take up thermal expansion correspond to allowable
stress values varying from 100 to 200 N/mm².
 In the case of preliminary design, the limit value shall be 100 N/mm² maximum.

 xD
B
.
B
24

where:

.
 = Branch expansion
B
D = Nominal pipe size in inches
24 = Constant

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 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
2 - EXAMPLE
  = 60 mm
B
 xD
 D = 16 inches 24
 B MINI = 6. 50 meters
B
.

.
B

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 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
3 - GUIDED L-SHAPED ARMS
 In order to limit stress on guides, allowable stress value shall be limited
to
 100 N/mm² at preliminary design stage.

 xD
B
50000
24
.B

where:
B = Minimum arm for expansion
B .
taking up,
 = Branch expansion
20000

D = Nominal pipe size in inches

24 = Constant

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 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
3 - EXAMPLE
  = 100 mm  xD
B
 D = 20 inches 24

 B MINI = 9. 50 meters
50000

.B

B .

20000
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 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION

4 - DETERMINATION OF EXPANSION LOOP ARMS

 Apply the same reservations of use as in the case of single arms.

where:
B = Minimum arm for expansion
 xD taking up,
B
24 δ= Branch expansion
D = Nominal pipe size in inches
24 = Constant

W
.
B. 1 - W shall be approximately 1/3 of B.
2 - Expansion loops must be as balanced as possible
(L L1), contact the calculation designer if branches
are too unbalanced.
3 - In the case of flare systems, of vapour systems, of a
L. L1
.
line in gas/liquid phase or subject to surge, provide a
support shape in the same axis as the loop to position
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a cross-wise guide.
4 - In the case of lines with a diameter > 4", the first
guide near the expansion loop must be on a main
span.
 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION

4 - EXAMPLE
  = 100 mm ( L or L1)
 xD
 D = 10 inches B
 B MINI = 6. 50 meters 24

W
.
B.

L. L1
.

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 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
5 - DETERMINATION OF ARMS FOR BRANCH CONNECTIONS ON HEADERS
 When the branches with branch connections on pipe-racks or pipe-ways are not calculated, it is
necessary, when the sub-header has a diameter smaller than that of the header, to give some flexibility to
the sub-header in order to prevent excessive stress at connection level.
 As a function of the table of piping classes, the type of branch connection shall either be a tee or a
reducing outlet tee, either reinforced or not.
 To define arm B required, the formula applied to expansion loops may be used with the correction
attached to branch connection overstress ratio.
 The formula becomes as follows:

 xD
B x  i0 where:
24 B = Minimum arm length for
expansion taking up,

B
 = Piping expansion
D = Nominal pipe size in inches
24 = Constant
r
i0 = Stress intensification factor for
de
Su
b-H
ea
the header (see attached tables)
He
ad er
 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
5 - EXAMPLE
= 50 mm
 xD
D = 10 inches – Sch 40 B x  i 0
i0 = 2. 688 24
 B MINI = 7. 50 meters

r
de
ea
b-H
Su

He
ad er
PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
 PIPING SUPPORTING
THERMAL EXPANSION
6 – FORCE ON SUPPORT GUIDE.
 To minimise the force on support “Guide” you have to respect the
Formulas given below.
 More the length between Elbow and Guide is short More the Force on
Guide inscrease.

 xD
B
50000
24
.B

F = 3 x E x I x Δl
L³
B .  F = Force
 Modulus ( 20000 daN/mm2)
20000

 Inertia (mm4)
 Δl =Thermal Displacement

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